Can I Have This Dance?
by HermioneRose
Summary: When Haylie misses out on Prom, Ryan decides to do something special for her. Rylie.


**Author's Note: **RyanxKelsi **may seem like the couple I have been doing lately, but I've been longing to do a **Rylie **one-shot for quite some time. Don't worry: I'll do another **RyanxKelsi**, I promise! This one-shot is sort of based on a scene from **High School Musical Three**. Don't regret if you haven't seen the movie: I don't do spoliers. Enjoy, and happy reading!**

**Chapter One: Dance Dilemma**

"Let me get this straight: you never been to Prom before?" Sharpay Evans asked, and Haylie Anderson shook her head.

"No...I haven't. We moved here before I could." Haylie stated, and Sharpay widen her eyes.

"Well, then you must attend this one! I couldn't imgaine missing Prom!" Sharpay explained, and Haylie gave her best friend a smile.

"When is it?" Haylie asked Sharpay, and Sharpay pointed at one of the many posters that were hanging on the walls at East High, advertising that was Friday, May nineteeth, a days earlier before the Wildcats graduated.

"Friday night..." Sharpay replied, and it was Haylie's turn to widen her eyes.

"Seriously? I thought--"

Sharpay frowned, and Haylie was cut off.

"You have plans, right? On the night of Prom?" the former Ice Princess questioned, and Haylie nodded.

May nineteeth was always the day that she, Mrs. Anderson, and MacKenize all went to the cementary to pay a visit to their beloved father and husband in California.

The Andersons left a few days earlier to catch the plane, and then catch a flight back home.

To miss Prom wasn't an option, but she always went with her mother now that MacKenize didn't seem to care anymore.

"Yeah....me and my mother visit my father in the cementary that night, and we don't come back until later." Haylie explained, and Sharpay's facial expression changed.

"I'm sorry...but, what are you going to tell my brother, though? He was looking forward to take you to senior Prom."

_Ryan._

She forgot about Ryan!

Haylie looked at Sharpay in alarm, and Sharpay sighed.

"You forgot to tell him, didn't you?" Sharpay asked, and Haylie played with a loose strand of her hair, avoiding looking at her best friend.

"Maybe, but I didn't want to disappint him, now did I? I don't want him to think that I ditched him. He'd be crushed to hear that--"

"Miss Anderson!"

Haylie and Sharpay turned around to see Ryan Evans running to up, having the biggest grin on his face.

"Excited for Prom?" he asked, swinging an arm around her shoulder, and Haylie looked pleadingly at Sharpay.

"About that...." Haylie trailed off, and Ryan frowned.

"What's wrong? You don't seem very excited."

Sharpay looked at the blonde-haired couple, and took this as an opperunity to find her own boyfriend, Zeke Baylor.

Haylie wiggled out from Ryan's arm, and looked at him with a sad expression on her face.

"Ryan....I can't go to Prom with you. I'm sorry."

"Why? How come?" Ryan asked, and Haylie turned around so she wasn't looking at him.

"Me and my mom are leaving for California before the night of the Prom....we're not coming back until later that night. I'm really sorry, Ryan."

She turned around again so she was facing him, but Ryan had his hat down over his eyes.

"It's okay, Haylie...."

"It's not okay: you were looking forward to Prom, and--"

"Seeing your father's grave is more important that going to Prom, Haylie."

Haylie could tell that Ryan was definately upset, but she didn't know what to do:

Cancal the trip?

Her mother would think that she didn't respect her father just by going to senior Prom with Ryan and her friends.

"If you're sure..."

Ryan gave her another smile.

"Just go with your mother, Haylie. I'll be fine."

As planned, Mrs. Anderson and Haylie left on Tuesday to fly out to California, and visit the grave site where Randy Anderson was at, but all through the flight, Haylie was starting to feel gulity about missing out on Prom, and of course, she could picture Ryan being datless while everyone was paired up.

Claire Anderson noticed her daughter's sulkiness.

"Haylie, I thought you'd be happy to be visiting your father's grave."

Haylie turned to look at her mother just then.

"I am, but I'm missing Prom, and Ryan asked me to go...."

Mrs. Anderson nodded.

"I know, but I promise if we make it back on time, you can still go to Prom."

Haylie didn't think they'd be back in time, but she nodded anyways.

It was later Friday night, and the Anderson women just came back from the airport, and much to Haylie's dismay, she missed Prom:

Coming this Monday, she'll be left out, and worse, Ryan was left dateless.

As Haylie was following her mother into the house, she heard a rustling noise coming from the tree, and as she got closer, she noticed a rose falling from the tree, and she picked up, smiling to herself.

"That's yours, you know."

Haylie jumped, but looked all over the front yard for a voice, but the voice called again:

"Up here, Blondie."

Haylie looked up, and almost laughed as she saw Ryan in a black tux, sitting comfortably on a tree branch.

"Get down here, drama-boy, or you'll hurt yourself!" Haylie replied, and Ryan smiled as he obeyed, and Haylie smiled once more.

"Why are you here anyways? Shouldn't you be at an after-prom party or something?" she asked, and Ryan shook his head.

"Of course not. Prom may have ended, but I still owe you a dance."

Haylie looked down at her clothes, and she blushed.

"But, I'm not dressed like you are."

"You don't need to be." Ryan explained as he took hold of her hand, and spun her around as Haylie laughed out loud.

Suddenly, the porch light came on, and Mrs. Anderson came outside.

"Haylie, are you out here?"

Then, she noticed that Ryan was with her daughter, and she smiled.

"Oh, Ryan...I didn't know you were here." Mrs. Anderson stated, and Ryan looked at her.

"I was just leaving."

Mrs. Anderson nodded as she went back inside, but left the porch light on.

Ryan looked back at Haylie, who was glancing down at the rose.

"Well, like what I told your mom, I should probably be going. I sort of ditched everyone to come here, so they are probably wondering where I am."

Haylie nodded as she looked back up at him.

"Yeah, you probably should....but, it's not like I want you to go, though."

Ryan chuckled as he leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Me either. But, I've been gone for awhile, and that tree branch was really starting to feel uncomfortable after awhile."

Haylie giggled again as she looked at him.

"I suppose you felt like a third wheel, huh? For the Prom, I mean."

Ryan glanced down at the ground.

"Not really. I danced with Gabriella, and Jason let me dance with Kelsi...so, don't feel as if you were gulity that you weren't there....but, I would have liked it if you were."

Of course he'd like to have her there, but didn't he say that visiting her father's grave was more important?

"Well, that's good. Atleast you danced." Haylie explained, and Ryan nodded.

"I should probably go....I'll see you on Monday, then?" Ryan asked, and Haylie chuckled.

"And you'll be my ride in the morning?"

"Of course." Ryan responded before giving her one final kiss, and headed to his car.

As she watched him drive out of the driveway, Haylie didn't really care that she missed the Prom.

Sure, that's what everyone was going to talk about on Monday, but Ryan made it so she had her own special dance.

And what girl didn't want to dance under the stars?


End file.
